I Just Joined. Need identification on misc. items

Lordy, Lordy! I have a few items and I really don’t know what they are. Well, I do know that one is a baby fork, I think. One is a nail file. I’m hoping those of you out there that know your stuff can help. Please see the photo attached.

Thank you for your help,
Lucy

You appear to have:

  • a hat brush
  • a child’s fork
  • sugar tongs
  • 2 dessert knives
  • 2 letter openers
  • nail file

Phil

Thank you Phil. Are you able to tell the age of these items? I assume these are from my grandmother’s or great-grandmother’s era. That would be end of the 19th century and early on in the 20th century. The child’s fork and sugar tongs I imagine are more my parents era.

Cheers, Lucy

Determining age is difficult unless any of your silver pieces have date marks. I note from the (just visible) mark on the brush that it is American so I assume that the others probably are also. Very few US manufacturers use date marks so all you can do is to make an educated guess based on styles. First half of 20th century, whilst being a very broad brush, may be as good as it gets. In case any of your items are by Gorham, this page may be useful: Gorham Silver Marks & Dates - Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks

Good morning Phil. Slowly working on these misc. items and you have been most helpful. I have attached a photo of the markings on the hat brush. I believe the nail file was my grandmother’s. Her initials were “LC.” The letter openers would make nice gifts. The dessert knifes I did find a stamp that says, “Landers Frary & Clark.” The “Frary” was very hard to read. I might have gotten it wrong.

Have a great day! LucyIMG_93861

The mark on the brush is Gorham, but unfortunately without date letter. Based on the information in the link I supplied that makes it after 1933.

Landers, Frary & Clark would be correct: There is a Wikipedia entry for them here.

Phil